The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) announced yesterday that Pearl River Bridge prepacked yellow rock sugar has been found to contain excessive sulphur dioxide (SO2), urging the public to stop consuming the product.
According to the statement, the best-before date of the problematic product manufactured in Zhuhai is February 22, 2025.
The product was found to contain 134 mg of sulphur dioxide per kilogramme, which exceeded the requirements of the Macau Administrative Regulation No. 7/2019 on the use of preservatives and antioxidants in food, the statement said.
According to the statement, the bureau has taken immediate follow-up action and ordered all shops to stop selling and recall the product in question, and issued a food alert to the food trade.
According to the statement, sulphur dioxide is a food additive used to preserve and bleach food, which may remain in sugar due to the presence of sulphur in the ingredients and processing aids used in the sugar making process, the statement pointed out, adding that the levels of sulphur dioxide detected in the product were analysed to be generally unlikely to cause adverse health effects under normal consumption conditions.
However, sulphur dioxide may pose health risks to individuals with asthma or allergies, such as inducing asthma, headache, nausea or vomiting, the statement noted.
IAM reminds the trade to source food only from reliable suppliers and not to purchase and sell food if they have doubts about its hygiene and safety, while for consumers, the statement also reminded them to maintain a balanced diet to avoid excessive intake of a particular substance.
The “Pearl River Bridge” Yellow Rock Sugar product from Zhuhai was found by the Macau Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) to contain excessive sulphur dioxide (SO2). – Photo: IAM
